NEW DELHI (Metro Rail & Steel): In response to the escalating pollution levels and measures implemented by pollution control authorities, Delhi Metro has announced the introduction of 20 additional train trips throughout its network, commencing on November 3, 2023. This proactive step aims to encourage more residents in Delhi and neighboring cities to opt for public transport as part of the ongoing efforts to combat air pollution.
At 5 pm, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached a concerning level of 402. In light of this deterioration in air quality, the Central government’s pollution control panel swiftly initiated Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a framework designed to address air quality issues prevalent during the winter season in the region.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) released a statement in response, stating, “In view of the implementation of GRAP-III stage to combat pollution in Delhi, the DMRC will be further adding 20 extra trips across its network starting tomorrow, i.e., November 3, 2023 (Friday).”
This comes on the heels of the Delhi Metro’s ongoing efforts to promote the use of public transport. Since October 25, the Delhi Metro has been running an extra 40 train trips on weekdays (Monday to Friday) when the region had entered the GRAP-II stage. The DMRC’s statement highlights the cumulative impact of these measures, stating, “Thus, from tomorrow, the DMRC will be running a total of 60 additional trips as part of its measures taken under GRAP to encourage more and more people to use public transport in Delhi-NCR.”
The pollution control panel, in its efforts to address the severe pollution levels, issued directives on Thursday to prohibit non-essential construction work in Delhi-NCR. Additionally, it ordered a temporary restriction on the entry of diesel-guzzling trucks into the capital. These measures were deemed necessary as the air quality in Delhi reached the ‘severe’ category, posing significant health risks to residents. Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) classifies actions into four stages based on the Air Quality Index (AQI). Stage I corresponds to ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300), Stage II to ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301-400), Stage III to ‘Severe’ (AQI 401-450), and Stage IV to ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI >450). Stage III of the GRAP entails a complete cessation of construction and demolition work, except for essential government projects, mining, and stone crushing.
